As the world heads to COP30 in Brazil, the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is stepping up its climate response, unveiling a suite of financial instruments aimed at helping African countries adapt to climate change, transition to low-carbon economies, and access large-scale climate finance.
Africa, which contributes the least to global emissions but faces the harshest effects, loses between 7% and 15% of its GDP annually due to climate change. Yet, the continent receives less than 3% of global climate finance, leaving millions vulnerable to droughts, floods, and food insecurity.
With COP30 set for November 10–21 in Belém, Brazil, AfDB is emphasizing climate finance innovation as a lifeline for African nations. “These initiatives not only respond to climate change, they empower communities to take control of their future,” said Anthony Nyong, Director of Climate Change and Green Growth at the Bank.
Among AfDB’s key tools is the Climate Investment Fund (CIF), a $12.5 billion mechanism that has supported 47 investment plans and 45 projects, unlocking over $2.4 billion in co-financing. Projects like the Integrated REDD+ initiative in the DRC have helped communities such as Dorcas Tshabu’s transform degraded savanna into thriving forestlands.
The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), created in 2011, continues to drive private investment into clean energy. In June 2025, SEFA committed $8 million toward Zambia’s 32 MW Ilute solar project, boosting regional power trade and renewable energy access through the Southern African Power Pool.
Meanwhile, the Africa Climate Change Fund (ACCF) and Africa Circular Economy Fund (ACEF) are scaling up community-led resilience and sustainable production. In Djibouti, women farmers are turning arid land into productive farmland, while in Rwanda, youth innovators like Tresor Gashonga and Rafiki Gatsinzi are using circular-economy funding to cut food waste and support farmers through their chili sauce brand, Incuti Foods.
Another major instrument, the Climate Action Window, launched in 2022 with $429 million in seed funding, has already financed $31 million in projects across Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Djibouti, and Madagascar. The initiative is expected to reduce 720,000 tonnes of CO₂, create 180,000 jobs, and train 90,000 farmers in climate-smart agriculture.
Nyong describes the fund as “a lifeline for communities facing the harsh realities of climate change every day.”
From the Desert to Power Initiative to the African Green Banks and Adaptation Benefit Mechanism, AfDB’s growing ecosystem of funds underscores Africa’s determination to lead on climate innovation, even with limited resources.
As COP30 approaches, Africa is not waiting for the world to act, it’s building the tools, partnerships, and systems to shape its own resilient, sustainable future.
